Refractory grate for furnaces



Dec. 10, 1929. VASZ] REFRACTORY GRATE FOR FURNACES Filed March 6, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

W444: ATTORNELS,

Dec. 10, 1929. A. VASZI 1,738,856

REFRACTORY GRATE FOR FURNACES Filed March 6, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNlTEfi STATES ALBERT VASZI, F MILWAUKEE,"WISCONSIN REFRACTORY GRATE FOR FURNACES Application filed March 6,1926. Serial No. 92,752.

This invention relates to improvements in refractory grates forfurnaces.

It is an object of this invention to provide for a furnace having an oilburner, a refractory grate removable as a unit from the combustionchamber of such furnace for the purpose of facilitating replacement ofthe re fractory material and permitting continued operation of theburner during such replacement. It is a further object to provide arefractory grate movable as a unit vertically relative to such burner tothereby control the intensity of the heat generated by the burning oil.

Another object is to provide a refractory a grate incorporating in oneunit structure designed to accomplish either of the previously notedobjects at the will of the operator.

Other objects in addition to those noted above will appear as thedescription progresses.

In the drawings: Fig. l is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of afurnace showing the combustion 25 chamber with a removable, refractorygrate thereln.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 22of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the refractory grate.

Fig. 4c is a sectional plan view of the grate taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 2.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

The furnace 1 is provided with an ordinary combustion chamber 2 havingthe usual feed doorway 3 and door l. Beneath such chamber is an ash pit5 having the usual draft opening 6 and draft door 7 Positioned withinthe chamber 2 is an oil burner 8 (represented diagrammatically) andhaving an oil supply line 9 extending through the door l.

The removable refractory grate unit is designated generally by thenumeral 10 and com- 45 prises a supporting framework 11 and refractorygrate 12 carried thereby. The supporting framework comprises an upperrectangular frame portion 13 and a lower rectangular frame portion 14:.Frame portions 13 and 14c to are connected by a plurality of uprights 15and 16 each of which are elongated rectangular tubes. The frame portions13 and 1 1 are also secured together by corner members 17. Frameport-ions 13 and 14 and corner memhere 17 comprise angle irons. Theinvention, however, is not confined to the particular shape of partsshown in the drawings, it being obvious that numerous modifications maybe adopted.

The supporting framework 10 is mounted upon rear wheels 18 and frontwheels 19, the latter of which are preferably pivoted to the frameworkto facilitate steering movement when removing the refractory grate 12from or replacing it in the ash pit 5 as will be sub sequently morespecifically set forth.

Slidably journaled in each of the uprights 16 is a rack bar 20 arrangedin sets upon each side of said frame and slidably journaled in each ofthe uprights 15 is a rod 21 disposed at the ends of said frame. Rackbars 20 and rods 21 are each pivotally connected at 22 to the grateplatform or bed 23 which comprises an integral structure having spacedlongitudinal T-shaped sections 24. The pivotal connections 22 arepreferably made to accommodate any inequalities of distances between thepivotal bearings that may arise when raising and lowering the refractorygrate 12 as will subsequently be described.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of one of the T-shaped sections 24:. Eachsection is preferably provided with a series of recesses 25 within whichpins 26 may be positioned to er;- tend above the upper surface of thesections. Mounted upon the sections 24 and extending transverselythereof are a plurality of refractory bricks 27 each having a holeadapted to receive a pin 26, thereby spacing the bricks 27 from adjacentbricks upon the corresponding sections 24. Positioned upon each of thebricks 27 is a refractory brick 28 having a hole adapted to receive aportion of pin 26. The bricks 28 extend longitudinally of theirrespective sections 24L and are each spaced from adjacent bricks 28 uponadjacent sections 24.

Thus a plurality of openings extending between the sections 2 1 and therefractory bricks 27 and 28 is provided through which air may pass tomingle With the vaporizing oil given off by the burner 8.

Extending longitudinally and horizontally of the supporting frame is apair of -uprights 16 are each slotted at 33 to permit the gears 32 tomesh withtheir respective bars 20. At the front of the framework 10 andsecured to each shaft 29 and is a ratchet wheel 3& co-operating with apawl pivoted to the framework to prevent rotation of the shafts in onedirection for the support, through gears 32 and rack bars 20, of therefractory grate 12. A crank 36 may be mounted alternatively upon theextended ends of shafts 29 and 30which may thereby be rotated to raiseor lower the grate 12.

. It will also be noted that the forward end of the lower frame portion14 is provided upon each side with a set screw 37 extending laterally ofthe framework and engageable with the sides of the ash pit 5 to therebyhold the grate 12 and its supporting frame work 10 in position withinthe ash pit.

Rods 21 are provided for the purpose of assisting the rack bars 20 insteadying the grate frame or bed 23 against longitudinal movement.

, In operation, when the refractory bricks 27 and 28 have been destroyedby the heat generated in the combustion chamber 2, the set screws 37 areoperated to release the framework 10 from the walls of the ash pit 5,whereupon the refractory grate unit may be passed through the doorway 6to the exterior of the ash pit. If it so happens that the refractorygrate 12 is elevated to a height (see dotted line 38 in Fig. 1) whichwill not permit the unit to be removed through doorway 6, then the grate12is lowered by first releasing one of thepawls 35 and rotating thecorresponding shaft 30 in the proper direction to lower one side of thegrate and then releasing the other pawl 35 to permit rotation of itscorresponding shaft 30 to lower the other side of the grate. When thegrate has been lowered sufficiently, it may then be removed from the ashpit as noted previously.

Fig. 2 illustrates the action that takes place when the refractory grateis being lowered or raised. One side of the grate will be lowered I orelevated before the other side. For this reason the pivotalconnectionsof the rack bars 20 and rods 21 are each provided with elongated bearingslots 39 extending transversely of the grate platform or bed 23, therebycompensating for the inequality of distances between the pivotalconnections 22 when the plane passing through such conncctions variesfrom the horizontal. It is obvious that other arrangements than thatjust described for the pivotal connections between the grate platform 23and the rack bars 20 and rods 21 maybe provided, it being deem *dsufficient disclosure to represent one form.

hen the refractory grate unit has been removed from the ash pit 5, therefractory bricks 27 and 28 may be removed from the pins 26 wherenecessary and replaced by new material. When the deteriorated brickshave been replaced by new ones, the unit ma y then be moved throughdoorway G into the interior of the ash pit and anchored in position bymeans of the set screws 37. The rcfractory grate 12 may then be raisedto its proper position relative to the burner b by manual operation ofthe shafts 29 and 30 as indicated previously.

The outstanding advantage of the structure just described lies in thefact that the refractory grate 12 may be removed for repairs from thecombustion chamber 2 without stopping the operation of the burner S. Theefficiency of the burner will, of course, be ii'npaired while the grate12 i removed but the removable grate obviates the necessity of shuttingoff the burner as would otherwise be necessary where an ordinary grateis provided and is in need of repairs.

It is also apparent that proper adjustment between the burner and gratemay be obtained by the invention disclosed herein and thus insureintense combustion at all times.

While I have shown and described but one form of my invention, it is tobe understood that I recognize that there are several forms that may beadopted without departing from the spirit of this invention. I,therefore, do not limitmyself to the form shown.

I claim:

1. A refractory grate unit for oil burning furnaces having an ash pitprovided with a doorway, said unit comprising av framework, wheelssupporting the frame, certain of the wheels being movable about avertical axis, whereby the frame may be steered, a grate bed supportedby said framework for movement vertically relative thereto, meanscarried by said framework for moving said grate bed vertically relativeto said framework, and a removable refractory grate supported by saidbed, said unit being passable through said doorway and receivable insaid ash pit.

2. A refractory grate unit for oil burning furnaces having an ash pitprovided with a doorway, said unit having a framework, wheels supportingthe frame, certain of the wheels being movable about a vertical axis,whereby the frame may be steered, a removable refractory rate supportedby said framework, said unit being passable through said doorway andreceivable in said ash pit, and adjustable securing means carried by aidframework for releasably engaging the walls of said ash pit, wherebysaid unit may be removably secured in said ash pit.

3. A refractory grate unit for oil burning furnaces having an ash pitprovided with a doorway, said unit comprisinga framework, wheelssupporting the frame, certain of the wheels being movable about avertical axis, whereby the frame may be steered, a grate bed supportedby said framework for movement verticaily relative thereto, meanscarried by said framework for moving said grate bed vertically relativeto said framework, a removable refractory grate supported by said bed,said unit being passable through said doorway and receivable in said ashpit, and adjustable securing means carried by said framework andengageable with the walls of said ash pit.

4-. A refractory grate unit for oil burning furnaces, said gratecomprising a frame provided with supporting wheels, a grate bed, barsguided by said frame for vertical movement and connected with said gratebed, said bars being arranged in sets at opposite sides of said frameeach movable independently and one of said sets being pivotally and slidably connected with said bed, and means for moving said bars.

5. in an oil burning furnace, the combination with an oil burner, of agrate bed movable vertically relative to said burner, means for movingsaid bed vertically, and refractory material removably supported by saidbed.

ALBERT VASZI.

